smoked pork butt for 5hrs temp 160

[nc smoker 75]

I tried my new Bradley Smoker out for the first time. Tried a 10 pound pork butt with hickory bisquets for 5 hours at 220 temp and internal temp of 140 and took it off at 7 hours with internal temp of 160 to finish inside. I have been smoking meat for several years using a weber smoker and a green egg with good results. The meat was very tasty and tender but I was underwhelmed with the amount of smoke taste in the meat. With the amount of smoke generated by the Bradley system I was suprised by how little the absorbed smoke was compared to my previous experience with other smokers. Any suggestion?

[Habanero Smoker]

When I first switch from charcoal smokers to wood (I'm mainly back to charcoal now), what I found; I got good smoke flavor, but what was missing was the flavor burning charcoal adds. Now even though I use my charcoal cookers more often than not, I still will only cook my butts in the Bradley. For myself, they just seem to come out better in the Bradley.

Five hours of hickory should have provided enough smoke, but everyone's level of smoke flavor is different. You can try applying more smoke. There is smoke penetration, which smoke will penetrate 1/4" - 3/8" deep, then there is also smoke adhesion where the smoke will continue to adhere to the surface of the meat as long as the surface is moist. If the surface of your meat was too dry, try spritzing it with apple juice, prior to placing it in the smoker.

[nc smoker 75]

Thank you, Habanero Smoker. I bought the Bradley for smoking sausage but thought my first try would be a pork butt which I had smoked many before. Would closing the upper vent some help or starting the smoke at a lower temp for a few hours help deliver more smoke flavor?

[Habanero Smoker]

The bisquettes burn at a low temperature and produce a cleaner smoke, so a smaller vent opening may be useful. Just make sure the vent is open wide enough to expel enough moisture to prevent condensation inside the cabinet. I generally will not go further than 1/2 closed.

Depending on what source you read, smoke deposits and adheres on the surface at a greater rate at higher temperatures, then at cooler temperatures; as long as the surface remains moist. Starting the cook at a lower temperature would be helpful, it will extend the time the smoke is able to penetrate the meat's surface. So I feel all your ideas will work.

For my tastes buds, hickory produces one of the strongest smoke flavors of the bisquettes. The mesquite is the bisquette that produces the strongest smoke flavor. You may want to consider that also.

[nc smoker 75]

Thank you for your replies.